Electric switch



G. H. WHITTINGHAM.

flfcmc swlTcH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.28, |920.

1,362,379, Patented Dec. 14, 1920. l' .1. I 6- 6 f@ @i l Q 32m aida l for the finger.

IUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE n. wmTTIpGHAM, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AssroNoa To MONITOR corr- TROLLER COMPANY or BALTIMORE, MORPQRATION oF MARYLAND.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

Application filed February, 1920i Serial No. 362,046.

proveniente in Electric Switches, of which the following'jis a specification.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a yieldingly "mounted contact finger for an electric switch, which finger with its support can be cheaply'manufactured and readily assembled and taken apart, and which possesses other advantages hereinafter pointed out. f

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1: is a side elevation of a switch embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 1s, a top plan view of the same, the movable member of the switch being omitted;

`Fi 3 is a perspective lview of the contact nger;' 1

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the base or orting member for thecontact finger;

1g. 5 is a perspective view of a base or support showing a modified form of hook; and.

Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal section through a contact fin r connected to a base like that shown in ig. 5.

Referring to Figs. l to 4, incinsive, of the drawing, A indicates a base or supporting member; B indicates a Contact fingercarried by said member, and C indicates, conventionally, a movable contact member which coperntes with the contact finger to form al'switch. In this illustration the movable member is indicated as part of a drum controller. The supporting member, as shown.v consists of a flat strip of metal l, having fit one end a transverse slot 1a and having its opposite end 'lb turned outwardly at right angles to the body, to form a stop S ll strip l is arranged :i hook 2, which projects at the same side of the body as. the stop portion 1*. This hook member or catch may be formed in various Ways. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, it consists of a short piece of fiat metal bar, riveted or otherwise secured to the piece i and arranged edgewise with respect to the ends of said base.

deep notch 2 extends inwardly from the rear edge of the part 2, and the part 2",

Iii the central part of the overhanging this notch, serves as a catch for retaining one end of the spring on the fin er, as hereinafter explained. Y

he body 3 of the finger is composed of i1 fiat metal strip, preferably having its` edges 3 turned over, to strengthen the finger, and having one and portion 3 bent downwardly, `forming,l a tongue adapted to fit into the slot 1 in the base. The downwardly bent portion has shoulders 3 which rest upon the base when the end portion 3*' is within the slot l. The finger has in its central portion a longitudinal slot 3, adapted to receive the hook 2 on the base, the slot however being considerably longer* than the width ofthe hook. The forward end of the finger is provided with a Contact piece 4, suitably secured thereto, as by means of a rivet 5. Upon the upper side of the finger is secured a bow spring 6, formed from a fiat 'metal strip, the bend 6 in the spring being at the rear end of the finger and the free end 6 of the spring extending over the slot 3". This spring is secured to the finger by a rivet '7 which passes through the spring and through a fiexible connector 8, composed of a plurality of thin copper strips, the end of this connector being arranged between the spring Vthe base and hook are moved rearwardly relatively to the finger until the tongue 3b drops into the slot lix in the base. The spring will then exert an upward pressure on the hook and the finger will be supported at its rear end by the shoulders 3 and near its Forward'end by the stop 1*. To remove the finger from the base., the tongue 3 is pulled out ot the slot. 1, and by moving the finger rearwardly the spring will be drawn out of engagement with the hook and the base can then be removed by withdrawing the hook' from engagement with the slot 3.

lt will be noted that the spring at its free end is wider than the slot 3d. and when the finger is rocked upwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the spring, resting susA upon the finger, will @forma stop t'ofnrevrnt further movement of the finger. t is td be noted that the'lexihle connector 8 is secured between the spring and the top of the ingrr and that at the point where this mnneotor leuven the finger, tho spring and i0 endof thrl ringer are curved in opposite directions. If the Connector is moved upwardly or downwardly relatively to tho finger. it will hund around `those curved surfaces and will not be injured. as might he the case if the surfaces VEwere angular.

Fig. :7 shon u form of base or support for a ront-art linger with n modified form of hook; :1nd Fig. (i Shows n Contact finger applied to this huso. In Fig. 5 the base i) is the sumo :is in the, previously described figures rxvept that :1 slot i0 is cnt through the Stop portion 9" :it the point Where said portion joint.; tho body of the buse, and tho hook 11 in this imtnnrr is formed by hendinf; :i flut strip of nir-lul oppositely fr@ two points, to provide n foot piece, Il, which rests upon ihr huso land extends into the slot 1U. :in upright portion l1". and hook portion il. the lutter for engaging tho spring* on the finger. A single rivet i2 Srrnros the hook to the base and the hook rs prmrntrd from turning on the base hy thv engagement of the part 11 with th slot lll. 13th this` forni of hook. the Slot 153 in the. linger. must of course be made widrr ill-.1n the corresponding slot 3d in Fig. il; 'mit otherwise, no change is required in thv finger. The parts arr assemble-d and tunen apart in the same manner as descrihed in connertion with the precoding figurer. and the functions are alike. The hook 11 :irl fords n broader bem-ing surface on the end of the Spring l'hnn does the hooi( l of Figs. l to 4. i

what I claim iS i. In un elertrir Sn'itrh, a supporting; har haring a slot :it one rnd and n hook lnomher proiorting 'from its@ rents-nl portion. :1 contant linger having one rnd ongnging Suid slof. and n spring nrtlntofl mornin-r vonnootod to lmid fingir-r and detnrhnhiy rnguging Said hook nii-mimi".

if, In :in olortrir s'witrh. n Supporting hnr having n :slot :it ont3 her pri'ijerting from its centr-nl portion. at ontnrt iingcrlmring one ond. sind slot. und n how spring; Weilrod to snit 111- 1 ,seems rer and drtnchablyengaging said hookmember.

3. In un electric Switch, a Supporting bar haring n slot nt one ond, a Contact fin er having n tongue adapted to engage said s ot, :mid rontnrt linger having n longitudinal Slot in itx, central portion. u hook on said hns' adopted to extend through said longitudinal slot. und n spring secured to said linger und engaging said hook.

4. ln :in elvctrir switch. a snpportin r bar haring n Slot at one end, n contact 'nger having a tongue adapted to engage said Slot. Suid (-ontnct finger having a longitudinal slot in its central portion, a hook on said heir adapted to extend through said longindinnl slot. und a spring of lint metal, of greater width than Said longitudinal slot. sornrod to said fingervand engaging Suid hook.

fr. In am Pirctro switrh, a supportin 1 har haring n slot at one rnd.` a Contact niger having a tongue adapted to engage sa id slot. :mid vontnrt hoger having a. longitudinal :dot in its central portion, a hook on said heir adapted to extend through said longiindinni lilo?. :1nd n how Spring sroured at onor und to :mid finger and extending rearwm-flr thrroon and thence forwardly and vnmgin; arid hook,

o. ln nn Mufti-ie.: Switch. :i supporting bnr having :i hoot; thereon. n rontufst finger inwmg 11s voor ond :"urvod dmniwnrdly and wn'wtrd to d on huid har. n how spring haring ono ond Svonrud to said har and exlrncling renrwnrdly thereon :ind thonre bent upwardly und ormirdiy :1nd ong-aging said hook. :1nd a lexihlo connortor #floured boiwfwn mid :apring and bnr.

In an eirctric switch. n supporting nwmhor mnnprisng a flot bur having on(l rnd o'sot to form a stop and having a rnnsvoroo Slot at. its opposite ond and a hook lnrmher projerting from the ventral portion of the bnr, in combination with a contact finger having n` tongue at one end adapted. to engage Said tranmorsr Slot, and inn-ing a longitudinal :slot .in its` ventral portion adapted to roroivo mid hook member, und a spring on snid {ingyfr nduptrd to en- ,Qzwv said hook.

In testimony whereof I affix my ign-attire.

(i ,EORGE H. Will T'FINGHA M. 

